Tlakula 'did the right thing' by resigning

Johannesburg - Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) chairperson
Pansy Tlakula did the right thing by resigning, the DA said on Wednesday.

"She was heavily implicated in issues around the lease
of a building for the IEC's head office, a matter in which the public protector
found maladministration," Democratic Alliance federal executive chairperson
James Selfe said.

It was a serious offence and marked the first time a member
of a chapter nine institution had been found to have committed such misconduct,
he said.

"We believe that advocate Tlakula has done the right
thing."

Selfe said it was preferable for Tlakula to resign rather than
go through the indignity of being forced out.

On Tuesday Tlakula said she had submitted her letter of
resignation to President Jacob Zuma.

Integrity

Before the 7 May elections several political parties took
her to court, claiming her integrity had been compromised.

This followed an investigation by Public Protector Thuli
Madonsela into the procurement of the IEC's Riverside Office Park building in
Centurion, Pretoria.

Madonsela found Tlakula had a relationship, possibly of a
romantic nature, with then chairperson of Parliament's finance portfolio
committee Thaba Mufamadi.

Mufamadi was a shareholder in Abland, which was awarded the
R320m contract to lease the building.

A subsequent report by the National Treasury found the
process was neither fair, transparent, nor cost-effective. It found Tlakula did
not give guidance or formally inform various individuals what was expected of
them in the process.